Teofimo Lopez has new DAZN deal, and renewed bid to 'take over' the sport

Teofimo Lopez, incentivized by a trend-setting multi-fight deal with DAZN and the opportunity to become a three-division champion August 22, is positioning for another self-described “Takeover” of boxing.

In a Tuesday media workout at the Fortune Gym in Los Angeles, the 22-2 (13 KOs) Lopez asserted himself as a generational talent who might be coming off a loss to Shakur Stevenson, but foresees career-defining bouts ahead.

“I’m making the best fights possible for boxing,” Lopez told BoxingScene. “I’m not going to sell my legacy for my glory. That’s why I went to DAZN. They started with ‘The Takeover,’ and whoever comes next, you’re welcome.”

While three-division welterweight champion Devin Haney followed Lopez’s lead by striking a union with DAZN, Lopez is launching his deal by moving up a division to meet the hard-punching WBA 147lbs champion Rolando Romero, 17-2 (13 KOs), of Las Vegas.

The pair headline a Prime Video/DAZN pay-per-view card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Romero, a former interim lightweight and WBA 140lbs champion, says successfully defending his belt against Lopez, who has victories over three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and former 140lbs undisputed champion Josh Taylor on his resume, will make Romero a Hall of Famer.

Lopez, meanwhile, says he needs to do more than defeat Romero to enter the Hall.

“No, I gotta keep going,” Lopez said. “I’m really locked in on certain things. I’ll let the people decide when I hang up my gloves if I’m a Hall of Famer.” 

A betting favorite in the match, Lopez said that status doesn’t make sense to him, and he says Romero is underrated.

“I’m fighting a bigger puncher at 147. I’m making my debut at 147 … I’m taking the risk. No risk, no reward. My whole thing is staying locked in,” he said.

“[Romero’s underappreciated] on the skill side…but not on the stature. He’s a champion for a reason. He controls the pace and makes it his fight, and people overlook that.”

The DAZN association requires a better version of Lopez than what was seen January 31 in the wide scorecard loss to four-division champion Stevenson.

Lopez says he’s been in the gym since the defeat, dismissing public calls for him to split with his trainer-father Teofimo Lopez Snr and making an immediate decision by telling BoxingScene in February he was moving from 140lbs to welterweight.

He spent time training alongside Floyd Mayweather Jnr in Las Vegas.

“Work ethic and believing in yourself,” were the takeaways, Lopez said. “You’ve got to put a lot of faith and belief in yourself. First thing you’ve got to do is look in the mirror and talk great to yourself. Your biggest challenge is you in the mirror. He tells me every time. It’s a mentorship, and I respect him.” 

Victory on August 22 likely moves Lopez to the winner of the September WBC welterweight title fight between champion Ryan Garcia and England’s Conor Benn.

“They’re a world champion and [top] challenger for a reason. Every fight at 147 will be some of my best and most challenging fights. Honestly, may the best man win,” Lopez said.

“I’m hearing Conor Benn will go up after this, it’ll be his last hurrah [at welterweight]. As of now, [the biggest welterweight fight] is the August 22 championship versus Rolando Romero.”